Computing, Reading, Cooking and Singing

After helping Bryan and JT learn how to use the computer and mouse, and finding it rather easy, I decided to not buy Luci any special play "lap-top" or discs with preschool learning games on them. Until I saw the Fisher Price Easy Link on clearance yesterday at Walmart. Retail price is $30, I got it for $17. And I love it! So does Luci.
It links you to websites specifically for the character that you click into the middle slot. This easy link pack had Disney characters in it, so it links you to the Disney play website. It will not let me click on anything else except the games from other Disney preschool favorites and color sheets that are available there--no danger of the child getting to another website. I've tried to click on the links that are shown, just to test it, but it has not allowed me to go anywhere else. Good! Also, you can turn off the print option and limit the time your child plays. Easy parental controls, easy to set up.

This one was just funny. Reading John's Bible commentary with her high heels on.
Wanting to "cook sumpin'." Luci's always dragging out the cooking utensils and pans to cook us something good. She's on her toes.

Song Writing

John thinks I have the makings of another Shania Twain hit, if I can just get the rest of the song together. It's all about being the mother of a 15 year old boy/man. Here's what I have so far:

~~~~~~~~~

You think you're so special...

Get over it.

~~~~~~~~~

Come on, give me a break in the attitude department...it was a tough day!

A Day at the Beach in China

Kalyn's mommy, Kathy, sent these to me. Can you imagine? 2 questions: Did anyone actually get wet, and where is the porta-potty?

Luci traces her name

Luci is learning how to write her name, and she is so excited about it! So am I.

At the end, she acts really silly, which is how she is with us all the time.

Your Daughter Wears Combat Boots!

Luci loves putting on Daddy's boots after he gets home from drill. We just call her

General Mayhem

Salute!

Dad:

This is why I don't write a book: because it would happen just like this. Click on the comic to make it larger. (Well, it won't get larger for me--maybe it will for you. Get out a magnifying glass if it won't enlarge.)

My Name

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 72 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Eloise on Homeschooling

Two of Luci's favorite movies are Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime. Luci seems to have a lot of Eloise in her--which can go either way. Two quotes from Eloise are so appropriate to homeschooling:

I don't go to school. School comes to me.

Nanny says, "Life experience is the best education there is."

More Resolution Funnies

I saw these on Abi's blog...she has 3 children from China. Lucky woman.

Mom!

Mom, our new chairs came in. The sixth one has a broken leg, so we had to shoot it. (Really, the furniture store is ordering a new leg.) The chairs and table don't match because I finished the table in October 2004, right about the time Luci was born. New chairs weren't even thought of then, and when I went to the Barnett's furniture store, there was one of these chairs marked down to 1/3 of the original cost. Money off! Bingo! So I just needed to order 5 more (at the regular price) to have a whole set.

Mom, did you get your new couch/sofa/divan yet?

By the way, the table is at an angle so it will fit into the dining room better. The only thing we are not crazy about in this house is the size of the dining room--we should have bumped the wall out to the edge of the front porch when the house was being built.

Resolutions You Can Really Commit To

(as seen in First for women magazine)

I will save electricity ... by eating out more often.

I will buy fewer shoes ... on sale.

I will walk more ... when the elevator is broken.

I will organize my desk ... by next year.

I will stop eating dessert ... before dinner.

I will save my money ... from spending too much time in my account.

I will stop making impossible resolutions ... forever!



And seen on a church signboard in Lauderdale County...

May your troubles be as short as your New Year's Resolutions!

Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions...Do you make them? Do you keep them? I always have a few...to weigh less at the end of the year than at I do at the beginning...to be more faithful to God (that covers a lot)...to be a better wife and mother...those are the basic resolutions I make.

This year our preacher/minister, Frank Mills, suggested reading all the way through the Bible. John and I are doing this, and thought some of you might like some reading lists if you are so inclined to participate, too. I just found these online today. I am not advocating the sites they came from--I didn't read the sites very thoroughly, so don't send me emails about what "stuff" they are espousing. I am just sharing their reading lists, all of which involve only reading the Bible.

Read the Bible in a Year--text included here, American Standard version.

Here's another, starting at any week in the year.

This one has a different subject every day of the week: The Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy, Gospels and Epistles.

Here is one in chronological order, and you can start any week of the year.

Back to Normal

Christmas decorations are all put away...John is back to work...Luci is mourning the passing of Christmas, but cheered by the news that it happens all over again next year.

The boys put up the tree after Thanksgiving and put it away for me without much fussing today. Those of you with real trees, I know we are missing that incredible smell; we also are missing much of the fire hazard, something to consider when you live 'way out. Other benefits: I know where next year's tree is, I don't have to pay a cent for it, and there is no straggly side to turn towards the wall. And don't forget no needles to sweep up.

John commented last Friday that we'd been gone from home every single day except Christmas day for something or other. Usually I sent the kids with him, and he didn't mind giving me that break. When they left the house each time, I told the boys to be sure to treat their Daddy with the same love and respect that they always give me. (I can hear the moms laughing and snorting now!) Today I think he was glad to get back to the normalcy of his job. Maybe he'll appreciate that quiet drive into town today--getting to listen to his station without any griping or snarling coming from the back seats.

I love it when I hit "spellcheck" and no words are highlighted!

My Baby Is Reading!

We have fortune cookies as part of our New Year's tradition. Luci opened hers, and read it herself! Here's what she said:

"It says: Nander babba ditta ditta bonk."

Check out my Slide Show!

End of the Year Pics

Here's a slide show of the pictures on my camera that I just couldn't bear to delete. I'm starting the year off with a clean ScanDisc in the camera! Woo-hoo, exciting, I know.

Happy New Year!

Happy New year from the Party Animals in Greenhill! Every year we do a jigsaw puzzle and try to finish it before midnight. We actually finished this one long before the magic hour--it was only 250 pieces. We got it on the island of St. Thomas while on our cruise last January. It was in a plastic wine bottle and showed a map of pirates' exploits. Usually the puzzle is much bigger and takes forever, and I am begging to quit and go to bed long before midnight.
Baby New Year!
The first picture of the new year--Bryan was up all night and looks a little sleepier than JT and Luci.
We glue our New Year's Eve puzzles together and hang them on the staircase wall leading to the basement. Here are some from years past. Everyone who helps put the puzzles together gets to sign the back and, of course, we put the date on them, too. It was fun putting them up in the new house, and sort of looking back through our New Year's Eves together. There were 2 from the years John was overseas, and those brought back memories of their own.

SIX!

Whenever we stop for gas, we all guess how many gallons. It's like playing "The Price Is Right"--whoever comes closest to the actual amount without going over is the winner. Luci always says, "Six!"

Why six, Luci?

"I like Six!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And this one for Mom and Dad B.:

Yesterday, Luci asked me, "Where's Merry Christmas?"

I Am Santa!

Bubble bath time! Luci got all soaped up and told me, "I am Santa. What do you want for Christmas?" It's gotten so fun with Luci--you can hold real conversations with her about many subjects. Tonight we got a Candy Land game (on super sale at Walmart). Luci was so excited until she opened it up and discovered, "There's no candy in there!"

Hey to the Englishes in American Samoa! John is really looking forward to next month's mission trip to the Solomon Islands with Randy. We are saving up for Bryan to go with you all on a trip in 2009. (I get so tickled at all the red dots on the map--thanks for adding the South Pacific!)

This Also Happened at Our House

My Two Favorite Gifts

You've seen those Wallet Pix (as seen on TV!) commercials. Well, this is my favorite present. I just downloaded 20 pictures onto mine and there's still room for 38 more. It is a neat little gadget. Not corny at all. My second favorite gift was a 2 1/2 hour long nap on Christmas afternoon! When Luci slept, so did I. No worries about boys because John was there to stop World War III or IV, or whatever we are up to now. So nice!

A Day in the Life...

So many of you who do not homeschool wonder what life is like in the Willingham household. Here is a little video to show you exactly what we are like.

Homeschool Family

It Happened at Our House!

Merry Christmas!

Favorite thing: Snow White dress

Favorite thing: Nintendo DS

Favorite thing: TV for the Man Cave. Note to kids: When you move out, the TV doesn't.

Quote of the Day:

Luci and I were looking under the tree. Luci said, "All the presents are gone." I said, "We opened everything. It was a Happy Christmas!" Luci said,

I want a Happy Christmas tomorrow!

Christmas Eve

Today was so fun. Santa's helper got done wrapping gifts at 1:45 a.m. Luci got up at 7 a.m. and had us going from then on. We do have one child intent on testing the Coal Theory...we hope he nicens up considerably before Santa gets here.





The kids got to open one present and had a race to see who would be fastest. Then we watched Luci's Gotcha Day DVDs--oh, that was so fun! She was so beautiful--still is, of course. Luci wanted to wear her Gotcha Day clothes--what the orphanage people put on her when we got her--and then we took some pictures of the kids in front of the tree. I am putting all of them here, they were so funny. Luci's wearing her Gotcha Day shirt in the pictures.